Wire connecting device



Jan. 27, 1959 c. H. KLEIN 2,871,045

WIRE CONNECTING DEVICE Filed Feb. 3, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l8 ,1? /4 l| i Y 1 l0 l2 l6 l8 INVENTOR.

CHARLES H. KLEIN Mir/X Jan. 27, 1959 c, H, KLEIN 2,871,045

WIRE CONNECTING DEEVICE Filed Feb. 3, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTQR.

CHARLES H. KLEIN BYMM y VXMQt United States Patent WIRE CONNECTING DEVICE Charles H. Klein, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The National Telephone Supply Co.

Application February 3, 1958, Serial No. 712,933

9 Claims. (Cl. 287-75) This invention relates in general to wire connecting devices and more particularly to a method and means for connecting a straight line wire to a dead-end support.

In dead-ending wires used for telephone, telegraph, or other purposes, it has been the established practice to loop the end of a straight line wire around a dead-end support or electric insulator and insert the end of the wire into a sleeve at the point where the loop begins, thus securing the loop. Over the years the wire manufacturers have strengthened the wires and the communications especially have gone after thinner wires because of the lower cost. Many of these wires are now so stiff that they cannot easily be bent into a loop for dead-ending. Or else the wires are damaged and weakened when bent with the aid of tools. And experience has shown that these stilf wires when held in loop form and then subject to line loads cannot endure vibration as well as a softer or more ductile wire.

It is an object of my invention then to provide a wire connecting device comprising a length of soft, ductile loop wire and two connecting sleeves attached to the ends of the wire.

Another object of my invention is the method of bending the loop wire around a dead-end or an electrical insulator and aligning the two sleeves in a straight line to receive a straight line wire.

Another object of my invention is the method of positioning the straight line wire and crimping the sleeves about the wire enclosed therein.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of this invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a plan view of my invention showing a piece of wire and two offset sleeves attached thereon;

Figure 2 is a plan View showing the wire in a loop or bent position;

Figure 3 is a cross-section view of the type of sleeve embodied in my invention;

Figure 4 is a plan view showing the two sleeves in alignment with one another to receive a straight line wire;

Figure 5 is a plan view showing the straight line wire inserted in the sleeves;

Figure 6 is a plan view showing that the sleeves are compressed about the wire to securely fasten the wire enclosed therein;

Figure 7 shows the relationship of my invention to an electrical insulator or dead-end;

Figure 8 is a plan view showing a modification of my wire connecting device;

Figure 9 is a modification of the type of sleeve embodied in my invention shown in Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a plan view showing a further modification of my wire connecting device; and

Figure 11 shows a further modification of the type of sleeve that may be embodied in my invention.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the wire connecting device for connecting a line wire 22 to good joint.

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a dead-end support or electrical insulator 19 is designated by the numeral 10. The wire connecting device 10 comprises a loop wire 11 and two ofiset connecting sleeves 12 and 13 connected to the ends of the loop. The wire 11 is soft and ductile so it can easily be looped around a dead-end or electrical insulator 19.

With specific reference to Figure 3, the sleeves 12 and 13 are formed from a single piece of copper or steel or other suitable material, and are constructed to make a Since the line load is divided, the ofiset connecting sleeves 12 and 13 need not be as strong as previously used. The sleeves 12 and 13 have a middle portion 14 and two tubular portions 15 and 16. The tubular portions 15 and 16 each have an outer end 17 and an inner end 18. The sleeves 12 and 13 are so formed that the tubular portions 15 and 16 extend at an angle from the ends of the middle portion 14 and are substantially parallel and laterally offset with respect to each other. The middle portion 14 extends between the tubular portions 15 and 16 and at an angle thereto. The tubular portions 15 and 16 each have an opening 23 forming a passage wall 24 extending from the outer end 17 to the inner end 18 of the tubular portions 15 and 16. The passage walls 24 of the tubular portions 15 and 16 of the sleeves 12 and 13 are of a correct diameter to receive the loop wire 11 and the line wire 22. The sleeves 12 and 13 are preferably identical and may be the same as the sleeve shown and described in Figure 16 of Patent No. 2,106,007.

With specific reference to Figure 4 of the drawings, the loop wire 11 of the wire connecting device 10 is shown looped around the dead-end or electric insulator 19. The loop wire 11 is bent in such a way that the two ofiset sleeves 12 and 13 are aligned to receive the line wire 22. Prior to looping the loop wire 11 around the dead-end, the tubular portions 15 of the sleeves 12 and 13 are forcibly crimped or compressed as shown by numeral 20' upon the loop wire 11 with a crimping tool to effectively anchor the loop wire 11 to the tubular portions 15 of the sleeves 12 and 13. The crimping tool may be of the type shown in Patent No. 2,086,400.

After the wire connecting device 10 is positioned, the straight line wire 22 is inserted in the passage walls 24 of the tubular portions 16 of the sleeves 12 and 13 as shown in Figure 5. At this time, the tubular portions 16 of sleeves 12 and 13 are forcibly compressed or crimped, as shown by numeral 21 in Figure 6, upon the line wire 22 enclosed therein with a crimping tool to efiectively anchor the line wire 22 to the tubular portions 16 of the sleeves 12 and 13. This crimping operation anchors the line wire 22 to the sleeves 12 and 13 of the wire connecting device 10. The Figure 7 is a perspective view of the wire connecting device 10 looped around the insulator or dead-end 19.

The loop wire 11 of the wire connecting device 10 is made of a length of wire, usually the same diameter as the line wire 22 to be terminated, but of a softer or more ductile metal. While these softer wires are not so strong as the stiff line wires, the design of the device is such that the load is evenly divided between two sides, so that only one-half the strength is needed. Since the line load is divided, the offset connecting on the loop wire need not be as strong as when used as a looped dead-end shown in Patent 2,106,007.

With specific reference to Figures 8 and 9, I show a modification of my wire connecting device as shown in Figures 1 to 7 of the drawings. The corresponding parts are identified with corresponding reference characters. The angularly related ofiset sleeve 28 used in this particular wire connecting device is modified in two particulars. The tubular portion 15 of sleeve 28 is not substantially parallel to the tubular portion 16 of the sleeve 28.

The tubular portion 15 is angularly related to the tubular portion 16 so that the line wire 22 can be inserted into the opening 23 of the tubular portion 16 with a minimum of bending. The second modification is that the passage wall 24 of the tubular portion 15 of the sleeve 28 is terminated at a terminating end 26 instead of extending completely through the tubular portion 15 as shown in Figure 3 of the'dra-wings. The ends of the loop wire are inserted into the opening 23 of the tubular portion 15 of the sleeve 23 and the terminating end 26 acts as a stop for the ends of the loop wire ll from extending beyond the inner ends 18 of the tubular portions 15. The tubular portions 15 and 16 of the sleeve 28 are compressed upon the loop wire 11 and the line wire 22 as shown by the numeral-s 2t? and 21, respectively.

With specific reference to Figures 10 and ll, i show a further modification of my wire connecting device as shown in Figures 1 to 7 of the drawings. The corresponding parts are also identified with corresponding reference characters. The elbow sleeve 29 is a further modification of the sleeve 28. The elbow sleeve 29 has two angularly related portions 15 and 16 connected together by an intermediate portion 25. The tubular portion 15 is not parallel to tubular portion 16 as are the tubular portions 15 and 16 of sleeve 13 as shown in Figure 3. The elbow sleeve 29 has an intermediate opening 27 which allows the passage of the line wire 22 through the tubular portion 16. The ends of the loop wire 11 terminate at a point or place spaced from the terminating end 27 and are compressed wherein by a crimping tool.

Although this invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

l. A wire connecting device for connecting a line wire to a dead-end support, said wire connecting device comprising a loop wire having ends and first and second sleeve members, said loop wire extending around said dead-end support, said sleeve members having a middle portion and first and second tubular portions, said and second tubular portions having outer and inner ends, said first tubular portions of said sleeve members extending at an angle from an end of said middle portion, said second tubular portions of said sleeve members extending at an angle from the other end of said middle portions, said first and second tubular portions being substantially parallel and laterally off-set with respect to each other with said middle portion extending therebetween and at an angle thereto, said first and second tubular portions each having an opening forming a passage wall extending from said outer end to said inner end, said passage walls of said first tubular portions of said first and second sleeve members being of a diameter toreceive said ends of said loop wire, said passage walls of said second tubular portions of said first and second sleeve members being of a diameter to receive said line wire, and said tubular portions of said sleeve members being compressed about said wires enclosed therein and securely connecting said line wire to said loop wire.

2. A wire connecting device for connecting a line wire to a dead-end support, said wire connecting device comprising a loop wire having ends and first and second sleeve members,vsaid loop wire extending around said dead-end .support, said sleeve members having a middle portion and first and second tubular portions, said first and second tubular portions having outer and inner ends, said first tubular portions of said sleeve members extending at an angle from an end of said middle portion, said '4 second tubular portions of said sleeve members extending at an angle from the other end of said middle portions, said first and second tubular portions extending in the same general direction and laterally oil-set with respect to each other with said middle portion extending therebetween and at an angle thereto, said first and second tubular portions each having an opening forming a passage wall, said passage walls of said first tubular portions of said first and second sleeve members being of a diameter to receive said ends of said loop wire, said passage walls of said second tubular portions of said first and second sleeve members being of a diameter to receive said line wire, and said tubular portions of said sleeve members being compressed about said wires enclosed therein and securely connecting said line Wire to said loop wire.

3. A wire connecting device for connecting a line wire to a dead-end support, said wire connecting device comprising a loop wire having ends and first and second sleeve members, said loop Wire extending around said dead-end support, said sleeve members having a middle portion and first and second engagement portions, said first and second engagement portions having outer and inner ends, said first engagement portions of said sleeve members extending at an angle from an end of said middle portion, said second engagement portions of said sleeve members extending at an angle from the other end of said middle portions, said first and second engagement portions extending in the same general direction and laterally off-set with respect to each other with said middle portion extending therebetween and at an angle thereto, said first and second engagement portions each having an engage ment wall, said engagement walls of said first portions of said first and second sleeve members receiving said ends of said loop wire, said engagement walls of said second tubular portions of said first and second sleeve members receiving said line wire, and said engagement portions of said sleeve members being compressed about said wires enclosed therein and securely connecting said line wire to said loop wire.

4. The method for connecting a line wire to a deadend support which comprises the steps of providing a loop wire and first and second sleeve members each having first and second tubular portions with passage walls extending therethrough, passing the ends of the loop wire respectively through the passage walls of the first tubular portions of said sleeve members, compressing said first tubular portions upon the ends of the loop wire to anchor the sleeves to the said ends of the loop wire, bending said loop wire around said dead-end support, aligning said second tubular portions of said sleeve members substantially in a straight-line to receive said line wire, passing said line wire through said passage walls of said second tubular portions of said sleeve members, and compressing said second tubular portions of said sleeve members about said line wire enclosed therein to connect said line wire to said loop wire.

5. A wire connecting device for connecting a line Wire to a dead-end support, said wire connecting device comprising a loop wire having ends and first and second sleeve members, said loop wire extending around said dead-end support, said sleeve members having related first and second engagement-portions connected together, said first and second engagement portions each having an engagement .wall, said engagement walls of said first portions of said first and second sleeve members receiving said ends of said loop wire, said engagement walls of said second tubular portions of said first and second sleeve members ,receiving said line wire, and said engagement portions of said sleeve members being compressed about said wires enclosed therein and securely connecting said line wire to saidloop wire.

'6. A wire connecting device for connecting-a line wire to a dead-end support, said wire connecting device comprising a loop wire having -ends and first and second sleeve members, said loop wire extending around said dead-end support, said sleeve members having angularly related first and second engagement portions connected together, said first and second engagement portions each having an engagement wall, said engagement walls of said first portions of said first and second sleeve members receiving said ends of said loop wire, said engagement walls of said second tubular portions of said first and second sleeve members receiving said line wire, and said engagement portions of said sleeve members being compressed about said wires enclosed therein and securely connecting said line wire to said loop wire.

7. A wire connecting device for connecting a line wire to a dead-end support, said wire connecting device comprising a loop wire having ends and first and second sleeve members, said loop wire extending around said dead-end support, said sleeve members having angularly related first and second engagement portions and an intermediate portion, said intermediate portion connecting said first and second engagement portions together, said first and second engagement portions each having an engagement wall, said engagement walls of said first portions of said first and second sleeve members receiving said ends of said loop wire, said engagement walls of said second tubular portions of said first and second sleeve members receiving said line wire, and said engagement portions of said sleeve members being compressed about said wires enclosed therein and securely connecting said line wire to said loop wire.

8. A wire connecting device for connecting a line wire to a dead-end support, said wire connecting device comprising a loop wire having ends and first and second sleeve members, said loop wire extending around said dead-end support, said sleeve members having angularly related first and second tubular portions and an intermediate portion, said intermediate portion connecting said first and second tubular portions together, said first and second tubular portions having outer and inner ends, said first tubular portion having an opening forming a passage wall extending from said outer end and terminating at a distance intermediate said outer and inner ends, said second tubular portion having an opening forming a passage wall extending from said outer end to said inner end, said passage walls of said first portions of said first and second sleeve members receiving said ends of said loop wire, said passage walls of said second tubular portions of said first and second sleeve members receiving said line wire, and said tubular portions of said sleeve members being compressed about said wires enclosed therein and securely connecting said line wire to said loop wire.

9. The method for connecting a line wire to a dead end support which comprises the steps of providing a loop wire and first and second sleeve members each having first and second engagement portions with engagement walls, placing the ends of said loop wire respectively within the engagement walls of said first engagement portions of said sleeve members, compressing said first engagement portions upon the ends of said loop wire to anchor the sleeves to said ends of said loop wire, bending said loop wire around said dead-end support, aligning said second engagement portions of said sleeve members substantially in a straight line to receive said line wire, placing said line wire within said engagement walls of said second engagement portions of said sleeve members, and compressing said second engagement portions of said sleeve members about said line wire enclosed therein to connect said line wire to said loop wire.

No references cited. 

